Once Lost Now Found
by Team Angels
Summary: Sequel to My Bad Habits!


I'm Back!

Sequel My Bad Habits!

!$%^&*()_

SPOV

Derek and I ran out the door after her but she was already gone. "Mel" Derek cried. He tried following her scent but it seems that she jumped right off the banister and right into... what is it with that girl and jumping into pools.

Her scent was gone and it was freezing out side. She could easily die from hypothermia. I walked back into the room and screamed at Dad. "CAST A LOCATING SPELL!" When he remained frozen in place I ran up and shook him. "DO IT. DAD SHE'LL DIE IF WE DON'T FIND HER SOON."

That brought him out of it and he started chanting... but to now avail. Apparently Mel still had some of her magic and she shielded herself. Meaning... she didn't want to be found. Derk, Chloe, Tori and I pulled on our coats and split up into two different teams and set out.

Tori and I started at the left pool gate and walked into downtown. Well we started to until we saw that there were no wet footprints on the cement. So we turned and headed for the the right pool gate. Derek and Chloe were ahead of us following prints until... they headed into the grass.

Derek said she was starting to dry off and her scent was coming out but it was faint. So with his meager tracking skills we headed into the brush. We followed her scent until we hit a creek. According to Derek her scent ended at the bank. She had to have crossed there and even if she did her scent would be gone by then.

Chloe walked up the creek a little bit till she saw a tree that had fallen over that we could cross. We followed her and slowly walked over.

DPOV

This is all my fault. If I hadn't blown up and jumped to conclusions then we could all have been back in the motel warm and happy. But no. I had to run my mouth and now Melody was out here wet, angry, cold and alone.

We made it back to the bank where she crossed but it was no good. She could have easily just swam downstream to avoid my nose. I was about to start panicing on what we should do next when Chloe called for our attention. When we all reached her she was pointing to something in the dirt.

A shoe print. A less than an hour old, converse shoe print. I kissed my girlfriends forehead and told her to lead the way she looked around for a minute before she saw another one, then another.

"Where did you learn to track?" Tori asked.

Chloe just looked at her and smiled. "Dog the Bounty Hunter Re-Runs" We all laughed at that but contiued on. We must have followed them for thirty minutes before the trail went cold.

We went back to the last print and looked around to see if she had changed direction but we still found nothing. I looked up at the sky and saw that we were losing sunlight fast. I was really starting to worry. Melody was out her wet in 38 degrees weather.

Plus whoever had taken her mom could easily be out her too. Just then Simon's phone rang. It was Dad. Simon's talked to him a minute before addressing us. "He says that we need to call it a night. It's suppost to get down to the low 20's tonight and he doesn't want us out in it."

"But he'll let Mel freeze her ass out here."

Simon repeated what Tori had said, then answered. "Dad says that she knows where the motel is."

Tori just huffed. "Sure she's really going to go back to a motel where everyone's going to be looking down on. Oh no not looking down, Dad and Lauren will be using looks of pity. Not to mention a guy who she thought would always be in her corner just called her a junkie. And figuativly sold her down the river!"

I looked at Tori. "I did not sell her down the..."

Tori held up her pointer finger and and in a bad deep voice yelled "YOU MADE YOUR BED NOW SLEEP IN IT!"

I opened my mouth to correct her but then stopped. She was right. I had forsaken Mel. I just didn't want her to be like she was before. Mel was broken after Michael had passed. She was the discription of lost soul. Sunken eyes that held no light. She ended up losing a lot of weight. She was silent for three months before she spoke again.

Michael was her friend, her rock, her brother. He was her therepist and her go to guy. He took care of her since they were kids. When he died Mel didn't know how to cope. It wasn't uncommen to find her clutching her shoulder as if she were trying to hold herself together. Michael was her everything.

Mel was so used to having him around that she didn't know how to stand on her own. Then the drug period happened. She drank, smoked and popped just about anything she could find. It wasn't until after the car accident that I stepped forward and gave her something to hang on to.

At first she didn't like it nor did she want it. But I still stayed there with her. Only this time I didn't let her cling to me like she did Michael. Simon and I taught her how to stand on her own two feet, with her head held high and a smart assed comment on the end of her tounge... but that didn't mean that she was over Michael's death. No! She would need actual therepy for that. Till now it had only been Simon that she opened up to.

She once made a joke about how Simon and I combined was like being around Michael again. Then she started crying and blabbered that she didn't mean that in a wrong way. Both of us were her friends. I held her steady and Simon would help her through her problems.

I never knew that she could be hiding such a huge secret from the both of us.

"You guys go back I'm going to walk around a bit and see if I can pick up her scent." I began to walk away when Chloe told me that they were staying out here till they found her. I shook my head and said "It will be getting dark soon. You guys can't see in the dark like I can. I'll text you every hour to keep you updated ok?" I expected them to argue but Chloe agreed with me.

"He's right we'd just be slowing him down. He'll find her quicker without us tripping and stumbling around. Not to mention he's quiet. Mel's less likely to hear him and scurry off." Tori pouted but she started back the way we came. Simon however was really unhappy.

"Dude if you don't find her by morning I will A) kick your ass and B) spending all day looking for her until I drop from lack of insulin..." I looked at him with wide eyes. Surely he wouldn't risk his own life like that. "Dawn Derek. You have until dawn."

He turned on his heel and walked away. Chloe gave me a light kiss beffore speaking. "Bring her home Derek... and if you get to cold call and let us know we'll be here in a a heart..." by she was rambling so I pulled her in and claimed her lips with mine. I loved kissing Chloe. Her lips were smooth and warm.

"Don't worry I'll find her." She nodded and the three of them started walking back. I mearly looked at the sky. "Oh Mel. Were you really that scared of what we would think lil sister?"

My answer was the wind running through the trees. Bringing with it a familiar scent. Turning in that direction I started sprinting. I followed it until a mud pattern caught my eye. It was as if someone had tried covering their tracks. But it didn't matter she was dry enough now that her scent was back. I follow that well after sunset.

With only my enhanced sight her footprints were a little harder to see but not by much. And as Dad had said the temperature dropped rapidly. Clothes took hours to dry outside and it's middle of winter. Meaning she was running around in wet clothes.

True to my word I texted the guys every hour. Sadly I knew that they were not going to bed until I told them that I had found her.

Finally about 10 miutes past midnight the wind changed. Taking her scent with it. I sighed as I flopped down on a fallen log. I put my face in my hands and breathed. Maybe I should call her again... naw Simon, and the girls had been calling her cell all night. Just as I stood up the wind started again. I pulled my jacket closer hoping that it would bring her scent again but I wasn't as lucky this time.

I walked close to the ground so I could pick up her scent of the ground. It wasn't very comfortable but I didn't have to live with it for long. Because soon I came out of the trees and into a little warehouse yard.

I followed her scent over the fence and into an extremly old, rundown warehouse. "MEL!" I yelled as I walked in. I listened intently for any noise. Thankfully I found one. Labored breathing a slow heartbeat. I followed the noise until I reached a big crate turned on its side. Opened part facing the wall. I slowly turned it to reveal a damp and majorly shivering Mel. (A.N. try saying that five times fast "majorly shivering mel)

She just looked at me with tear stained eyes. My heart broke. She felt betrayed and unwanted. I knew the feeling. "Mel I am so sorry..." She didn't move... she didn't even blink. "Mel you were right I should have talked to you about the vials. I know you better than-"

"D..d..do..don't" i looked at her in shock. "y..you d..d..do..dont kn..know sh..shi..shit ab..out .m.. !"

"Your right" I said as I crawled in with her. "But Mel I don't know things about you because you won't tell me." She just looked away and into the warehouse. "Mel why didn't you tell me?"

She just shrugged her shoulders and muttered. "What was that?'' I asked

She glared at me and said she was cold. "I bet you didn't even grab your coat when you left." I picked her up and sat her in my lap before zipping her inside my jacket. I jumped when her arms circled around me and her hands touched the exposed skin where my shirt had ridden up.

"I w..wa...was sc..sc...sc..scar..ed." I just hugged her closer in an attempt to share my body heat. But I knew it wasn't going to happen as long as she was in those clothes. I looked around through the holes of the crate and thought about the fastest way back. I mean we had to be ten miles out at least. Getting back quick wasn't in the cards. But niether was sitting her letting her freeze to death.

I reached into my jeans pocket and pulled out... nothing. My wallet was sitting on the nightstand back at the motel. I looked around till I saw Mel's leather backpack sitting in the corner. She didn't have much most of her money was on her 'on the run' card. She had 15 bucks and a little change. We were in trouble.

Suddenly I felt my phone vibrate.

**To: Derek**

**From: Chloe**

**Any luck?**

I looked down at Mel and began talking. "You know Simon, Tori, Chloe and I have been looking for you all day. We were really worried... and what is it with you and hopping into freezing water?" I actually got her to crack a smile.

"D..did..n't ..thi...nk j..j..jjuussssst ru...rannnnn..."

"And your good at it I'll give you that"

She smiled a little and snuggled closer to me.

I petted her hair with one hand as I sent Chloe back a text with the other.

**To: Chloe**

**From: Derek**

**I got her. She shaking badly. Need to get her back quick.**

I sent the message and pulled Mel's phone out. I had been a little envious when I saw her phone but now I planned on pulling up her navigation system. It told me to type in the beginning address and it would link me to my current position. After typing the motel's it showed me that we were 12.4 miles away from the hotel. I sent a copy of the directions to Chloe and waited.

20 minutes later I heard a car pull into the parking yard. I pulled my jacket completly off me and placed it on Mel before scooping her and her bag up and walked to the car. Inside was Simon and Tori.

"Chloe's at the motel preparing a warm bath and warming the room." I nodded to them and checked on Mel. She was still shaking so when Tori noticed she reached up and turned up the heater. We made it back quicker than it took for them to get there, but I didn't care.

Chloe met us up front and her and Tori took Mel from me. I was about to object when Simon stopped me. "Do you want to sit there while she thaws out naked in the tub?" I shook my no vigorisly. (sp)

He smiled and hugged me. "You did it bro. You brought her back safe and sound." I nodded and let him go as we walked up the stairs and into the room. Dad and Lauren were sitting in chairs by the balcony. I guessing Tori and Chloe were in the bathroom because I could hear muffled screams.

Simon and I looked through our clothes until we found a clean shirt of mine and a pair of Simon's pajama bottoms for her to sleep in. We knocked on the door and Chloe opened it an inch. I handed her the clothes and asked if she needed a broom.

"No Tori and Mel cleaned up the mess before the whole fight started but thank you for the clothes." She smiled at me before shutting the door.

Simon and I took turns pacing the motel room until Chloe came out of the bathroom and called for Lauren. With her Aunt on her heels the two quickly disappered into the bathroom. Now Dad was up and pacing with us as we waited. Had I been to late to prevent permant damage?

This went on for about twenty minutes before the door opened and a gust of stream came out of the bathroom. "Oh damn, it's like a sauna in there" Lauren announced as she came out. Chloe and Tori right behind her. After that Mel stiffly came out. It was as if someone had forgotten to oil her. I knew she would be sore in the morning.

Simon almost ran over to her and hugged her. She just stood there for a moment before hugging him back. Once they had let go he led het to a palet in the floor. Five pillows and blankets marked the spot. Apparently all us kids were sleeping next to one another... and you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way.

! #$%^&*()098756432

Holy shit! This took forever to write. 4 1/2 hours to be exact! But the story's not finished yet!

Fly On!

-katie


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